Hose straightening fixture

ABSTRACT

A fixture for holding curved rubber hose in a substantially straight condition comprising two arcuate members which are movable toward and away from one another with one of the members having surface interrupting knobs which press against the hose outside curvature to reduce the distance to the same as the inside curvature.

United States Patent Inventor Howard L. Woodrum Stillwater, Okla.

Appl. No. 762,417

Filed Sept. 25, 1968 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 Assignee Amerace EsnaCorporation New York, N.Y.

a corporation of Delaware HOSE STRAIGHTENING FIXTURE 4 Claims, 6 DrawingFigs.

US. Cl 269/269, 29/200 1nt.Cl B25b 1/24 Field of Search 248/49;

269/1.39, 265269, 270; 29/2000), 200(1); 72/369, 416; 8 l/(lnquired)[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,251,216 5/1966 Broske227/10X 1,194,058 8/1916 Neumayer 269/268XV 2,242,080 5/ 1 941 Kurzina269/270 2,615,238 10/1952 Highwood 269/268XV Primary Examiner-Andrew R.Juhasz Assistant Examiner-Donald D. Evenson Attorney-Kane, Dalsimer,Kane, Sullivan and Krucz ABSTRACT: A fixture for holding curved rubberhose in a substantially straight condition comprising two arcuatemembers which are movable toward and away from one another with one ofthe members having surface interrupting knobs which press against thehose outside curvature to reduce the distance to the same as the insidecurvature.

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BY ww WYM A TORNEY! HOSE STRAIGHTENING FIXTURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In coupling train cars together a short piece of hose is usedhaving coupling members at either end thereof. In the art, one of thesecoupling members is called a glad hand" and the other is identified as ashort shank coupling. Historically the hose member was straight.However, it was found that a hose member of arcuate or curbedconfiguration would be superior since the arcuate shape would preventthe free end from dragging on the ground when the car was not coupled toanother, and also the arcuate form would allow easier coupling of thefree end.

In use, the hose would wear out, however, the glad hand and short shankcoupling members would not. The railroad maintenance men would, upondetermining by inspection that a hose had reached the condition where itwas no longer useful, remove the coupling members and apply these toanother hose. The common practice was to push the glad hand and shortshank coupling members into the hose ends by force of cylinders appliedaxially one against the other. Difficulty was therefore encountered inmaintenance shops in fitting the glad hand and short shank coupling tothe arcuate tube. With the curbed hose it was impossible to press thecoupling members into the ends by application of force applied axiallyat each end. The hose being very rigid, it was found impossible tostraighten it out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A fixture for holding curbed rubber hose in asubstantially straight condition having first and second facing arcuatepipe members with the second pipe member being movable toward and awayfrom the first pipe member and a plurality of spaced knob membersprojecting from the movable pipe member in the direction of the rigidpipe member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of a prior art device for holdingthe rubber tubing while the coupling em members are affixed thereto;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fixture constructed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the fixture shown in FIG. 2 in open condition;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but with the fixture shown inclosed condition;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in the direction ofthe arrow in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in the direction ofthe arrow in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 a prior art fixture of the typeused in affixing the coupling members to the end of a straight piece ofhose is shown. Hose 10 is to be held in position by arcuate pipe members11 and 12. Pipe member 11 is supported in a stationary position bysupport means 13 and pipe member 12 is supported by clamping cylinder14, which support is constructed and arranged to move the pipe member 12toward and away from member 11 to enable the clamping of hose 10thereby. Clamping cylinder 14 can be pneumatic, hydraulic, or anycombination or variation which is well known in the art.

In FIG. 2 a fixture constructed in accordance with the teachings of thisinvention is illustrated in open position with curbed position withcurved hose 15 shown.

The device illustrated in FIG. 2 includes arcuate pipe member 16 and 17,first support means 18 for pipe member 16 and clamping cylinder 19connected to and supporting pipe member 17 by means of bracket 20.

Guide means in the form of three rods 21, 22 and 23 project from thefirst support means 18 beneath pipe members 16 and 17 as seen best inFIGS. 5 and 6. It is noted therein that the lowermost edge of each ofthe pipe members 16 and I7 touch the rods.

Cylindrical knobs 24, 25 and 26 project from the arcuate surface of pipemember 17 toward the arcuate face surface of pipe member 16. The knobs24, 25 and 26 which have the same axis are spaced one from another andas seen in FIG. 6 do not extend to touch arcuate surface of pipe member16 in the closed condition of the fixture.

As shown in the FIGS. in the embodiment herein arcuate pipe members I6and I7 are of approximately the same length.

The pipe member 16 is provided at either end with an arcuate sectionrefcrred to herein as a helper which is spaced from the pipe member 16.

Helper 27 is supported by bracket 27' mounted on rods 29 and 30projecting from the support means I8. Bolts 31 and 32 are respectivelythreaded onto rods 29 and 30 and a spring 33 is mounted on rod 29 toyieldingly urge helper 27 forwardly. Likewise, helper 28 is supported bybracket 28 mounted on rods 34 and 35 held there by bolts 36 and 37 withspring 38 yieldingly urging the helper 28 forwardly.

The purpose of the fixture is to lay out straight the curved hose toallow the couplings to be pushed in both ends at the same time. In orderto straighten the hose, the distance over the outside of curvature mustbe reduced to the same distance as the inside curvature. To accomplishthis, the straight line distance must be disrupted and over hills andvalleys. This will pull the outside curvature of the hose into a shorterdistance and, in effect, will straighten the hose. This is what thefixture with the three cylindrical knobs 24, 25 and 26 on the inside orface of pipe member 17 will accomplish. The helpers on the stationaryhalf of the fixture help to pull the ends in alignment and make a morepositive alignment in a shorter period of time.

In use, the hose is placed in the fixture as shown in FIG. 3 and theclamping cylinder actuated to bring pipe member 17 toward pipe member 16with the guide means 21, 22 and 23 maintaining the proper alignment. Thehelper helps to push the hose ends into position and the knobs distortthe hose in order to provide a substantially straight hose within thefixture. After this has occurred, the coupling members 39 and 40 areforced into the ends of the tube, as shown in FIG. 4, by cylindersapplying axial force. It is noted that an imaginery line on each of theknobs substantially parallel to the knob axis embraces or contacts thehose first, as the pipe members are brought together, on an imaginaryline on the surface of the hose substantially parallel to its axis.

Thus, it is seen that with the device shown herein coupling members canbe applied to curved hosing in maintenance shop work in substantiallythe same manner as they had been applied to straight hosing.

As used herein, the terms tubing and hose are understood to be usedinterchangeably and refer to both reinforced and nonreinforcedstructures, and it should also be understood that although the inventionis described in terms of rubber hose it can be used with all types ofelastomeric materials.

Iclaim:

l. A device for holding curved rubber tubing in a substantiallystraightened position including first and second arcuate pipe members,first and second pipe members, first and second arcuate surfaces of saidfirst and second pipe members, first and second support means formaintaining said arcuate surfaces in facing relationship, said supportmeans being constructed and arranged to move at least one of si saidpipe members toward and away from the remaining pipe member and aplurality of spaced knob members projecting from said second arcuatesurface toward said first arcuate surface and spaced from said firstarcuate surface, each of said know knob members having a surface portiondefining a line which is disposed to first contact a hose disposed insaid device substantially parallel to its axis and said first arcuatesurface having an uninterrupted scmicylindrical surface.

2. A device for holding curved rubber tubing in a substantiallystraightened position in accordance with claim 1 in which a helpermember is provided at either end of one of said arcuate pipe members andspaced therefrom and which is yieldingly urged forwardly.

3. A device for holding curved rubber tubing in a substantiallystraightened position including first and second arcuate pipe members,first and second arcuate surfaces of said first and second pipe members,first and second support means for maintaining said arcuate surfaces infacing relationship, said support means being constructed and arrangedto move at least one of said pipe members toward and away from he theremaining pipe member and a plurality of spaced knob members projectingfrom said second areuate surface toward said first arcuate surface andspaced from said first arcuate surface, and a plurality of guide meansmounted on one of said support means beneath said pipe memberssupporting and maintaining the alignment of said pipe members duringmovement thereof.

4. A device for holding curved rubber tubing in a substantiallystraightened position including first and second arcuate pipe members,first and second arcuate surfaces of said first and second pipe members,first and second support means for maintaining said arcuate Surfaces infacing relationship said support means being constructed and arranged tomove at least one of said pipe members toward and away from theremaining pipe member and a plurality of spaced knob members projectingfrom said second s arcuate surface toward said first arcuatc surface andspaced from said first arcuate surface, an arcuate section at either endof one of said arcuate pipe members substantially aligned therewith andspaced therefrom and spring means yielding urging each of said arcuatemembers forwardly mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CERTIFICATE, OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,561,750 Dated February 2, 1971Inventor(s) Howard L. Woodrum It is certified that error appears in theaboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby correctedas shovm below:

F'col. 1, line 9, "curbed" should be -curved--; line 31, "curbed shouldbe curved-; line 42 ,delete "em" before members"; line 64,before"member" insert -pipe-; line 69, "curbed" should be curved; Col. 2 line28, insert a hyphen between "straight" and "line";

Claim 1, line 3, after "members" delete "first and second pipe members,"line 7', after "of" delete "si"; line ll,before "knob" delete "know"Claim 3, line 7, delete "he" after "from";

Claim 4,1ine 9, after "second" delete theletter "s".

Signed and sealed this 6th day of July 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, JR. Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. A device for holding curved rubber tubing in a substantiallystraightened position including first and second arcuate pipe members,first and second pipe members, first and second arcuate surfaces of saidfirst and secOnd pipe members, first and second support means formaintaining said arcuate surfaces in facing relationship, said supportmeans being constructed and arranged to move at least one of si saidpipe members toward and away from the remaining pipe member and aplurality of spaced knob members projecting from said second arcuatesurface toward said first arcuate surface and spaced from said firstarcuate surface, each of said know knob members having a surface portiondefining a line which is disposed to first contact a hose disposed insaid device substantially parallel to its axis and said first arcuatesurface having an uninterrupted semicylindrical surface.
 2. A device forholding curved rubber tubing in a substantially straightened position inaccordance with claim 1 in which a helper member is provided at eitherend of one of said arcuate pipe members and spaced therefrom and whichis yieldingly urged forwardly.
 3. A device for holding curved rubbertubing in a substantially straightened position including first andsecond arcuate pipe members, first and second arcuate surfaces of saidfirst and second pipe members, first and second support means formaintaining said arcuate surfaces in facing relationship, said supportmeans being constructed and arranged to move at least one of said pipemembers toward and away from he the remaining pipe member and aplurality of spaced knob members projecting from said second arcuatesurface toward said first arcuate surface and spaced from said firstarcuate surface, and a plurality of guide means mounted on one of saidsupport means beneath said pipe members supporting and maintaining thealignment of said pipe members during movement thereof.
 4. A device forholding curved rubber tubing in a substantially straightened positionincluding first and second arcuate pipe members, first and secondarcuate surfaces of said first and second pipe members, first and secondsupport means for maintaining said arcuate surfaces in facingrelationship, said support means being constructed and arranged to moveat least one of said pipe members toward and away from the remainingpipe member and a plurality of spaced knob members projecting from saidsecond s arcuate surface toward said first arcuate surface and spacedfrom said first arcuate surface, an arcuate section at either end of oneof said arcuate pipe members substantially aligned therewith and spacedtherefrom and spring means yielding urging each of said arcuate membersforwardly.